Clavicipitaceae

 ( Ascomycota Families ) 

The Clavicipitaceae are a family of fungi within the order Hypocreales. A 2008 estimate placed 43 genus in the family,

but a study in 2020 has increased this number to 50.

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Phylogeny Molecular phylogeny analysis of multigene DNA sequence data indicates the taxon Clavicipitaceae (as circumscribed by 2007) is paraphyletic, and consists of three well-defined cladistics, at least one of which is shared with members of another fungal family (Hypocreaceae). The most recent common ancestor of the three clades also include Hypocreaceae as a descendant.

The issue seems to have been resolved in Sung et al. (2007b). Clavicipitaceae becomes restricted to "clade A". Cordycipitaceae is resurrected to hold "clade C". Ophiocordycipitaceae is created to hold "clade B".

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Evolution The evolution within the Clavicipitaceae (as circumscribed by 2007) is marked by interkingdom host jumping, and the range of this large and heterogeneous fungal group spans mutualistic plant symbionts, as well as parasites of plants, insects, and other fungi. This situation has since been corrected

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Significance Many of its members produce toxic to animals and humans. One of its most infamous species is Claviceps purpurea, which has historical significance as the cause of Ergotism, also known as ergotism. Ergotism is caused by ergot alkaloids, such as ergotamine and ergocristine, which are chemical derivatives of lysergic acid. Metarhizium species are widely used in the biological control of insect pests.

Capinera JL. (2025). 9781402062421, Springer Science & Business Media. . ISBN 9781402062421

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Genera Several genera, especially those previously described as "" (having no known sexual cycle) are now re-classified into other families, in light of current molecular and other evidence. As of November 2024, the following genera are placed in the family Clavicipitaceae:

• Aciculosporium
• Allocordyceps
• Aschersonia - Sung clade A2
• Atkinsonella
• Balansia - Sung clade A1
• Balansiopsis
• Berkelella
• Cavimalum
• Claviceps - Sung clade A1
• Commelinaceomyces
• Conoideocrella
• Corallocytostroma
• Drechmeria
• Dussiella
• Ephelis
• Epichloe
• Epicrea - Sung clade A1
• Harposporium
• Helicocollum
• Helminthascus
• Heteroepichloe
• Hypocrella - Sung clade A2
• Keithomyces
• Konradia
• Linearistroma
• Loculistroma
• Marquandomyces
• Metacordyceps
• Metapochonia
• Metarhiziopsis
• Metarhizium - Sung clade A3
• Moelleriella
• Morakotia
• Mycomalus
• Mycophilomyces
• Myriogenospora
• Neoaraneomyces
• Neobarya
• Neocordyceps
• Nigelia
• Nigrocornus
• Orbiocrella
• † Palaeoclaviceps
• Parametarhizium
• Parepichloe
• Petchia
• Pochonia
• Polynema
• Pseudomeria
• Pseudometarhizium
• Purpureomyces
• Regiocrella
• Romanoa
• Rotiferophthora
• Samuelsia
• Shimizuomyces - Sung clade A4
• Sphaerocordyceps
• Stereocrea
• Sungia
• Tyrannicordyceps
• Ustilaginoidea
• Yosiokobayasia

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Nomenclatural note As of April 2025, MycoBank holds the unusual opinion that Clavicipitaceae should be synonymized to Clavicipiteae , a subfamily under Hypocreaceae. This does not match the phylogenetic tree and reassignment of Sung.

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Other sources

• C.J. Alexopolous, Charles W. Mims, M. Blackwell et al., Introductory Mycology, 4th ed. (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken NJ, 2004)

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External links

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